Romans 10:1-4 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
If there was anyone who could recognize zeal, it would be the Apostle Paul.
He recognized this in the Israelites, Paul was recognized as Hebrew of Hebrews.
Philippians 3:4-7 NLT
though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin-a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
When Jesus inserted Himself into Paul’s life, Paul was on his way with a letter in hand to capture followers of “The Way,” Christians, to bring them back to Jerusalem to stand trial for their beliefs. He thought what he believed was the way God wanted it to be, and there would have been no stopping him except that Jesus has other plans for his life and stopped Him in his tracks and changed his heart.
From that second forward Paul’s zeal turned from wanting to persecute followers to wanting to persuade others that being a Christian is the only way to get to heaven.
What a shift in thinking and this is only possible by God’s Grace.
Paul began preaching boldly about saving grace by faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul was a Bible scholar. He had the Old Testament memorized and he was about to embark on the second greatest ministry journey ever recorded, only second to the ministry of Jesus Himself.
Each of us will experience a shift in zeal when Jesus inserts Himself into our lives.
We don’t need to be a bible scholar like Paul simply because our mission is those directly around us and if we are faithful to stay in the Word of God, He will be faithful to expand our knowledge according to our calling.
Most of the time our conversion starts with a tremendous amount of zeal, people around us will notice a certain amount of change in our lives.
“Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.”
My thinking before Jesus entered my life was that if my good deeds outnumbered my bad deeds, I’m in. But…
Romans 3:10-20 NLT
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous- not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them. They don’t know where to find peace.” “They have no fear of God at all.” Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
After this indictment of our true nature, God gives us this wonderful gift and promise…
Romans 3:21-24 NLT
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
The only thing that clears us from our sins is our faith in Jesus Christ.
And this changes everything.
One of the biggest mistakes that can hamper our spiritual growth is not being God’s Word consistently with a humble and submitted heart.
The next mistake is while reading ? the Bible that you allow our minds to go to everyone except ourselves with how it should apply.
The Bible is meant to be a mirror, not a magnifying glass. It’s meant to reveal the changes that are meant for us, not the world around us.
The world around us is in God’s hands.
Work on making yourself right with God and God will take care of the rest.
Matthew 6:33 NLT
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“Yeah but…”
Whatever follows those two words need to be measured against the Word of God.
2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT
We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
This applies to every “rebellious” thought: Ours and everyone seeking to grow closer to Jesus Christ.
When things get dicey, our tendency is for us to look for everything else to change around us before we would even consider changing one thing about us.
This goes completely contrary to what God wants for us. God wants to affect change in our hearts, and it’s our willing, humble, and submitted spirit that God is seeking from us that will start to bring the change that will ultimately bring about the change that we want.
The good news is God is going to keep allowing these trials to happen in our lives until we learn what we need to learn.
Don’t look at this as an inconvenience, look at this as an honor.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
What an honor it is to serve a God who will lift us up in honor.
If you want your zeal to increase, get into the Word of God every day without stopping, your passion to serve God and others will increase with every reading.
Enter into your reading with this prayer:
Heavenly Father, it is an honor to be chosen by You. Let Your Word dwell richly in my soul.
Please let this reading reveal to me any sin that I may be harboring and let it show me the changes you want me to make in my life, that I may serve You and those around me with greater joy, peace, patience, compassion, and understanding.
Let my life be a mirror of the changes that You are making in my life, and let it glorify the work You are doing.
In the glorious, gracious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
